Egypt Back To Its Old Game Of Trying To Undermine Ethiopia

Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi (R) discussing with Former army chief and current Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi (L)

Ethiopia has had a besieged mind-set over Egypt’s intent to keep it away from its development course for many years. Despite recent mutual attunes, visits by its high level delegation to Mogadishu and Hargeisa should raise eyebrows among Ethiopians, argues the writer, whose identity has withheld upon request.
Egypt’s recent diplomatic maneuvering and military, political and economic posturing in the Horn of Africa – predominantly Somalia and Somaliland – has been designed to target Ethiopia’s aspiration for development and peace. At best, they aim to put Ethiopia under siege, with the strategic intent to undermine its efforts of seeing through the completion of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
The clearest example of this was the recent sojourn by a high level team of the Egyptian state to Mogadishu, Somalia, and both Hargeisa and Berbera in Somaliland. Led by Mohammed Edris, the delegation spent almost a week, attempting unsuccessfully to persuade Somalians to turn against Ethiopia.
Edris is a veteran diplomat, who previously served his country as an Ambassador to Ethiopia for several years. It was right after his return home that he was promoted to the rank of Deputy Minister for African Affairs at Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Having an entourage of 14, comprising senior officials from various ministries, think-tanks, the navy, air force and military, as well as civil intelligence agencies, Edris’ visit to the Horn of Africa, in the first week of April 2016, was an attempt to exert his country’s control over the political and economic affairs of the region.
This should come as little surprise, with Egypt having joined the Saudi alliance against Iran’s incursion in the Gulf of Aden – a move that illustrated its desire to take the upper hand in the region and gain control of the Bab el Mendeb. Egypt has a great deal of concern that the crisis in Yemen will eventually affect the flow of international maritime traffic through the Suez Canal, resulting in a loss of revenue to its economy.
In Egypt’s books, Ethiopia is considered a regional power to reckon with. Through having a military presence and a degree of economic leverage nearby, they hope to be able to harass Ethiopia from pursuing its ambitions of completing the GERD.
The delegation held high-level, yet confidential, conversations with the Somalian authorities, including its President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, while visiting Mogadishu on the 3rd and 4th of April. Although the customary issues of bilateral cooperation in areas of trade, health and education – with an offer to provide scholarships to 7,000 Somalians – were announced, the very inclusion of senior officers from the military and intelligence agencies in the visit is evidence of Egypt’s insincere motives.
Egypt is of the view that the breakaway of Somaliland and the subsequent disintegration of southern Somalia, in 1991, is against its self-interest. It seeks to take the initiative in brokering a deal between the two Somalis, thus restoring a united and strong Somalia – an initiative already undertaken by Turkey – giving it the leverage to rebuild Somalia’s security, intelligence and military infrastructure. Edris’ team has actually asked both parties to stop the current negotiations with Turkey, and resume under Egypt’s auspices.
During their meeting, Edris tried to persuade President Mohamoud to let his country send in experts to conduct surveys on the need to rebuild training academies for the police and military forces. Not surprisingly, this is part of Egypt’s broader strategy to align itself with the reconstitution of Somalia’s security and military capabilities. Its long-term objective is to counter what they describe as “Ethiopia’s ambitious desire” and frustrate its insistence to have fair and equitable use of the Nile waters.
Edris also asked the Somalian President to allow his country use the facility in Beledogle – a former Somalia air force base – through a long-term lease. Egypt hopes to use this facility as a strategic location to operate its air force assets in its operations in Yemen, in support of Saudi Arabia.
Interestingly, it seems that Egypt has not been able to come to terms with the change of era in the region. The old way of pulling the strings in Ethiopia’s backyard is over and the response from the President was a grim reminder. President Mohamoud declined to take the offers of restoring his shattered military, rebuilding the training facilities and receiving Egyptian experts in Somalia. No less telling was his rejection of the request Egypt placed before him to use the old air force base.
He was, however, positive in the potential cooperation with Egypt on matters asides military and security affairs.
Ironically, President Mohamoud’s reluctance to have cooperation over military and security affairs is in sharp contrast to pledges made by his Chief of Staff, Mohamed Ali Aden (Gen.), who recently visited Cairo. He might well have been dazzled by the level of attention he received, which many equated to a red carpet reception. Meeting several senior military officers in Cairo, Aden agreed to allow Egypt to send in experts to assess the level of need in rebuilding military facilities, training grounds and other supports.
President Mohamoud is believed to have frozen these deals, as he understands that Egypt wants to use his country as a staging ground to flex its muscles against Ethiopia and GERD.
If the delegation’s stop over at the Port of Berbera is not included, not much changed to Edris’s team arriving in Hargeisa on April 5th. As with the visit to Mogadishu, the four-day visit to Somaliland included meetings with high-level officials of the breakaway state, including its President, Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud. Once again, the delegation insisted on speaking to the President behind closed doors, with similar issues once again being covered.
Egypt has placed its request to use the facility inside Berbera Airport to deploy its air force assets to support its operations in Yemen. It also extended its wishes to help Somaliland rebuild and expand the port, with the intention of securing a base there for the use of the Egyptian Navy.
Although these requests failed to get much traction in the eyes of President Ahmed Mohamoud, the delegation reinforced its desire to see a united Somalia, with the reunion of the two states. Edris expressed Egypt’s commitment to furnishing the opportunity for both parties to meet in Cairo for talks, replacing those currently being facilitated by Turkey.
If any concession was to be forthcoming from the Somaliland President, however, it was in his expression of willingness to send delegates to Cairo for dialogue with officials of the Federal Government of Somalia, while categorically rejecting the possibility of a reunion. His is a view consistent with the successive generation of leaders in the breakaway state, with the continued rapture in southern Somalia doing little to make them change their minds with regards a reunion.
Even in the preliminary talks with their folks in the south, as proposed by Edris, President Ahmed Mohamoud would want to first discuss with Egyptian senior officials as a prelude.
If Egypt’s delegation found leaders in Mogadishu reluctant, the experience in Hargeisa was one of cold feet. Not many of the senior officials were in attendance at the various meetings, implying that the Somalilanders, like their brothers in the south, understood what is at stake.
Egypt is hell bent on using Somalis to keep Ethiopia preoccupied with issues other than its developmental course. The recent visits to the two capitals are stark reminders of its long held determination to undermine Ethiopia. Yet, Ambassador Edris returned back to Cairo, leaving behind leaders discontented with his country’s appetency in meddling in Ethiopia’s backyard. No doubt, the times have changed.

23 Responses

Where are Morsi, his entire cabinet and political establishment which is the Muslim brotherhood? Where are that evil Mubarak, his families and his entire criminal political establishment? How is it created and functioning the current Egypt’s political system from top to down? They are in deep troubles and their home is badly burning for years. Yet, they are looking to do the same against others instead of solving the huge problems they are facing at home from all directions.

Is this the 20th century when blacks were regarded as savages, wild animals, backwards, primitives, speaking tools, servants, suffering from colonization and all inhuman crimes or is it the 21- century when Black Africans are having equal human rights as everyone else including having full controls and sayings about the national matters and own resources?

If they want to continue dancing with the rhythmless and bad sound old music, let them be. But no more towards Ethiopia. Egypt is so messed up in all directions and activities have no abilities and reasons to improve the very bad and wrong internal situations by herself but heading towards hell in the naturally hostile and empty desert. Egypt’s territory is 90% of Ethiopian. Meaning Ethiopia is almost 1.2 times of Egypt. But this is not the point. The point is only 4.5% Egypt’s territory is useful for life, living and get benefit from. While More than 99% Ethiopian territory is very much useful for life, living and benefiting lots including 90% of it does have the best weather throughout the year.

99% of Egypt’s entire water consumption for drinking including animals, irrigation, industrial use and you name it coming from the Nile. Between 86-95% of the Nile water in Egypt comes from Ethiopia based on the rain fall in the Ethiopian highland. For instance last year, it was about 86% because of less rain in Ethiopia while this year will be 95 or even 97% because of lots of rain forecast in Ethiopia.

So, how come a desert nation that is totally dependent on USA money for 35 years and has collected more than 53 billion free dollar so far only for military purposes while more than that they have collected from other types of aids, is trying to have a quarrel with Ethiopia; a country giving her a free Nile water that would cost more than a trillion every year if it was sold in the desert where water is expensive than oil and the Nile water from Ethiopia is the richest in the world with minerals?

This is the typical behavior always coming from those having any related with Arabs. They are dumb and barbaric always looking death, destruction and chaos rather than solving the issues peacefully with talks which is the only best option any normal human society has to do and working perfectly. Egypt is occupying Sudanese territories for 21 years with the size of more than Belgium. They are racists against blacks including Sudanese and native Nubians in Egypt. They are selling their territory to the Saudis for money. Saudi and other gulf dictators gave Egypt more than 30 billion Dollar since 2013 and about 50 billion since 2011 desert storm/ Arab spring.

When Saudi Arabia and its wahabbi Gulf dictator allies decided to invade and indiscriminately bomb the innocent Yemen, they were taught it would be like walking on the cake and the best vacation experience taking only for weeks and they would be the winners very quickly, easily and without any human loss. However, they lost the war badly despite they used all sorts of USA and UK weapons and bombed Yemen indiscriminately destroying everything including the old Sana and others built 5000 years ago. The English, USA and others are participating directly with the war against Yemen Supporting the Saudis for money and oil.

What they got in the end is shameful defeat and historical mistake which is the generations to come hostilities against them (Yemeni towards the Saudis and other wahabbi dictators). So, how come a poor desert nation with no resources at all but billion of free donation and huge population despite only 4.5% its territory is useful and it is around the Nile valley water that is not in their hands, would affect Ethiopia and win the battle without severe and long term consequences? Let them try indirectly this way or directly which is impossible and they will harvest the generations to come consequences coming not only from Ethiopia but others too.

Arabs are good for nothing but being cruel, barbaric and inhuman. The good world is doing its best getting busy day and night to replace the dirty oil and gas they are selling and getting billions without doing any job. We are hoping D. Tramp going to win and becomes president in order to stop the criminal USA giving them billions free cash and supporting them with their crimes against humanity including own citizens. Do you think the wahabbi Dictators will be there tomorrow, if USA and England do stop guarding and protecting them and supporting them for every crime they are causing including in their own countries? Egypt is also part of it.

This is the time only peaceful approach, respect, understanding and working together would benefits all sides. They also must know, the Nile water in Ethiopia belongs to Ethiopia as all resources in Egypt do belong to Egypt including the Suez Canal. Do they give a free passing to the Ethiopian ships because of they are getting huge amount of free Ethiopian water?

This is the evil Mubarak Era politics of stupidity and crimes. For their own sake, they must not engage in any conflict way directly or indirectly but with direct talk with Ethiopia. Ethiopia is good enough to deal with any force affecting her directly or indirectly. Egypt’s entire existence relays on Ethiopia. If they try, we will show them who is their human God and they will also get punishments the ways they will never forget and stop them completely causing any trouble against Ethiopia.

El Sisi presidency needs to be different that of from the evil Mubarak Era. This is the 21-century, no nation able to win any war except causing chaos, destructions, killings and mass refuges as we see in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen and you name it. Somalia is the closest friend and ally to Ethiopia. The people are naturally similar than with Arabs that are racists against all blacks including Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia and native Egyptians.

However, Ethiopia needs this kind activities coming from abroad. It helps her to stay awake, think wisely and constantly, make the best decisions, improve her overall situations including militarily and securities with own capacities unlike Egypt and all Arabs that are dependent on the USA, UK, France and west in general are and always be prepared the best ways to defeat any treat coming from abroad.

They managed to hurt Ethiopia in the 20th century using the west. But they will never repeat that again in the 21-century without huge and long term consequences. Ethiopia is good enough to deal with any situation against her caused by human or nature as she did/doing with against the worst El Niño ever in 2015/2016. Financing by herself the biggest ever African continent project which is the Hedase Dam is a living testimony about the Ethiopians determination and abilities.

So, let them dance around with evil in their heart, poison in their head and darkness in their soul which is the true nature of Arabs; looking the weak and lawless nations like Somalia and Eritrea to use them. But in the end they will be the biggest losers and this time will be for generations to come. Ethiopia will not let them go away and get the Nile water as business as usual but pay for it as many nations do including USA from Canada, South Africa from Lesotho and between many other nations. If they don’t want to get Ethiopia benefits from her own water in her own territory, how come they are looking to benefit from the water that is not in their territory but thousands kilometers away?

They are making a grave mistake if really it is happening the way the article is saying. If they want to go with that direction, bring it on. Let’s agree with Sudan on another level and block the Nile before crossing the Sudanese northern border. Egypt has measure issues with Sudan than with Ethiopia. They are bordering and Egypt is occupying huge Sudanese territories since 1994 and she doesn’t want to withdraw its military. Saudi Arabia is also looking to cultivate more than 1 million hectare in Egypt using Irrigation from the Atbara which is Ethiopian Tekeze water. Others are also looking to do the same in Sudan. So, who is Egypt’s nightmare? Not Ethiopia, but Sudan. We also know how racists are Arabs against all Sudanese? Sudan means black/Negro in Arabic.
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The money and resources they are using for military reasons to destabilize nations like Ethiopia are USA and west billions of free gifts every year going on for decades. They are kneeling down under their feet and begging from the west to use it against others in Africa including Ethiopia. We are hoping, the Trump Presidency will solve many issues in the Middle East particularly Egypt’s and the gulf Dictators barbaric behaviors including the Saudis against the rest as far as Europe and N America.

Egypt is trying many ways to stop Ethiopia from development .this reactionary way they use it fir many years . Still they want to distroy Ethiopia from many direction.the Ethiopian Governement must be active diplomatically in every orner,

Don’t trust Egyptian s, they want to derail the development on the GERD. They will try to pull every string, if they think it will hurt Ethiopians. That’s why they are helping Shabiya, yeshabiya telalakiwn G7, Alshebab and OLF. But they are trying to stop unstoppable. The recent attack by Shabiya was one of the strategy of their strategy.

You are correct but Eritrea and Ginbot 7 is not able to give them the result they wanted. What they are doing is try to reopen the second front from Somalia. They have been doing it by using Al-Shabaab through Eritrea, it is just not effective because Ethiopia along with African Union troops are able to somewhat control this move largely.

This is one of the final try to get the legitimate Somali government to turn against Ethiopia.

What they could not succeed through Shabia they will never succeed through Somalia without draging Somalians back to stone age…The ball is in the hands of the Somalians and I hope the haters in the north(the eritreans) take note of Somalia”s experience too….they will never break Ethiopia without destroying themselves….

You are right Isayas, but you forget to mention that it will be “GOOD BYE ASWAN DAME” and Sudan will be delighted to get back its flooded land and revive its old historic civilization which is under the Aswan dam now.

I have been saying this all along. Egypt should not be trusted in any deal making negotiations, what so ever, they are backstabbing SOBS. They should not have any access to the construction sight of the Millennium Renaissance dam, they are bad news all in all to the Ethiopian growth and development.
let us place a huge sign allover our country, that says, NO EGYPTIAN ALLOWED OR NO TRESPASSING ALLOWED BY EGYPTIANS.

Banda Osayres why don’t go to meskerm .net and worry about your dead criminal boss banda arbes’s and Italian cock sucker esssyass.
Looking banda essays sucking so ugly no body would eat in front of him ,he is so ugly you would throw up.
But you talking about Amahara .
Amhara are ethiopian even Amahara or oromo would like to see the Dame finish.
Please Osayres go sell you ass just like your forefathers.

EGYPT: as a country
Economy : It is funded in “billions of dollars ” by Saudi arabia and Gulf Arab states
DEFENCE : Its military hardware and its Army salary is directly funded by USA.
DREAM: A never ending and never reluctant to make sure Ethiopia is destabilized, its economy and development must be sabotaged any and most of all Ethiopia must be disintegrated by any means.
Egypt’s: Canon folders to shoot and kill Ethiopian defenders.
– Eritrea
-Ginbot 7
-OLF
-Shabia sympathizers within Ethiopian government.—–

Ethiopia’s only option to defend itself from Arabs :
Eritrea must be disintegrated for good.
Any Ethiopian either in the past,current or in the future who allies with shabia is Ethiopian enemy to its core.
We Ethiopians we are alone and by ourselves, we may and can have our opinions and bitterly divided on how our homeland is governed, but we can not afford to be weakened to let our Ethiopia our only homeland to be a play ground for a never sleeping Arab enemies.
The Ethiopian government is just a government, but an Ethiopian is above the government and we must be united an” lead the government to lead us”.

Egypt remember Ethiopia has a good army .
We Ethiopian will fight Egypt any time any day.
Egypt trying to stop the unstoppable

Don’t trust Egyptian s, they want to derail the development on the GERD. They will try to pull every string, if they think it will hurt Ethiopians. That’s why they are helping Shabiya, yeshabiya telalakiwn G7, Alshebab and OLF. But they are trying to stop unstoppable. The recent attack by Shabiya was one of the strategy of their strategy.

Clearly, Egypt lucks diplomatic skills and know-how to live in harmoney with its strategically important southern neighbours, including Ethiopia. Egypt must be silly and totally ignorant of the situation in the Horn of Africa…thinking Somalia’s interest out of the box of Ethiopia’s security interest. Egypt’s historical success in the region must have been by chance. I don’t think they care about Egptian’s interest in securing water supply

We Ethiopians thought that Egypt has stopped its bad intention and started cooperating with us on the Nile and many other regional and developmental issue. But the habitual liars and war mongers of Egyptians leaders does not know that ETHIOPIA can cut the flow of the Nile by 10% to 30% by irrigating all the tributaries with in 5 to 10 years period of time unless it stops it’s evil intentions. There are hundreds of small tributaries that flow to the major tributaries before reaching the Blue Nile and the Egyptians should know no matter what they do that it is a matter of time before we put these small tributaries to use to agricultural development. Watch out Egypt!! Stop your plots. It’s better if you negotiate and partner with ETHIOPIA rather than looking for your arrogant behavior.